Amanuensis Monday -- 1839 Deed of Heirs of James Bell Selling Land in Henderson, Jefferson County, New York To Jedediah McCumber

 This week's document for transcription is the 1839 Deed of the heirs of James Bell (including Ranslow and Mary Smith) selling 65.68 acres of land in Henderson, Jefferson County, New York to Jedediah McCumber for $1,046.86.  

Jefferson County, New York, Deed Book 1839:  pages 533-534, image 613 of 652:

Jefferson County, New York, Deed Book 1839:  pages 535-536, image 614 of 652:

The transcription of this deed, starting on page 534 at the top of the right-hand page of the firsdt image, with the assistance of FamilySearch Full-Text Search:

[Page 534 starting at the top of the page]:

This Indenture made the third day of December in the year one

 thousand Eight hundred and thirty nine Between Harvey Smith 

& Sarah his wife Ranslow Smith & Polly his wife John Clark & 

Nancy his wife David Bell & Emeline his wife & Cornelia Bell & 

James G. Bell & Nancy his wife of the first part and Jedediah Mc-

Cumber of the second part Witnesseth that the said parties of the first part 

in consideration of the sum of One Thousand and Forty Six dol-

lars and eighty six cents dollars lawful money of the United States of 

America paid to them by the said party of the second part the receipt where-0

of is hereby acknowledged have granted bargained sold released and 

confirmed and by these presents do grant bargain sell release and 

confirm to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns all 

that certain piece or lot of land lying in the town of Henderson County 

of Jefferson and State of New York being part of subdivision number

One on great lot thirteen and bounded as follows namely Beginning 

at a hemlock stake marked one, two, three four being the south west 

corner of subdivision one on great lot thirteen running thence north nine 

degrees east thirty seven chains Seventy two links to a stake and stones 

William McNeels South west corner thence south eight degrees fifteen 

minutes west seventeen chains Seventy one links to a red cedar stake

which is Stephen Elmer North west corner thence south nine degrees 

west thirty seven chains Seventy two links to a hemlock stake said 

Elmers south west corner thence north eighty one degrees west seventeen 

chains and twelve links to the place of beginning containing Sixty five 

acres and Sixty Eight hundredths of and always reserving and ex-

cepting one undivided seventh part of the above described premises to Jed-

ediah McCumber & Betsey his wife Also one other undivided seventh 

part belonging to Orin Bell as heirs at Law ^the estate of^ James Bell deceased 

Together with the hereditaments and appurtenances and all the estate right 

title and interest of the said parties of the first part of in or to the same and 

the reversions and remainders thereof To have and to hold all and singular 

the said premises hereby granted to the said party of the second part his heirs and 

assigns to the proper use of the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns 

forever subject to the conditions and stipulations contained in the letters 

patent whereby the lands were originally granted and the said parties of 

the first part do hereby for themselves their heirs executors and admin-

istrators covenant with the said party of the second part his heirs and assigms

that they the said parties of the first part immediately before the ensealing 

and delivery hereof were seized of the said premises of an estate in fee sim-

ple therein also that they have power to sell and convey the same as 

hereby intended, also that the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns

shall quietly and peaceably hold and enjoy the same also that 

the same is free from incumbrances and the the said parties of the first part 

and their heirs the said premises to the said party of the second part and

[Page 535 starting at the top of the page]:

heirs against all persons do and will warrant and defend for-

ever by these presents In Witness whereof the said parties of the first 

part have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first 

above written James G. Bell L.S. Sarah Smith L.S. Nancy C. Bell

L.S. Cornelia Bell L.S. John Clark ^L.S.^ Nancy Clark L.S. Mary Smith 

L.S. David Bell L.S. Emeline Bell L.S. Harvey Smith L.S. Ranslow 

Smith L.S. Sealed and delivered in presence of The word, wife, 

interlined on the second line counting from the top before signed 

Lowrey Barney 

State of New York Jefferson County ss On the fourteenth day of

December 1839 personally appeared before me James G. Bell & 

Nancy C. his wife Harvey Smith & Sarah his wife John Clark 

and Nancy his wife Ranslow Smith and Mary his wife 

David Bell and Emeline his wife and Cornelia Bell known to me 

to be the persons described in and who executed the same 

within deed all of whom did acknowledge that they did execute 

the same for the uses and purposes therein contained and I further 

certify that the said Nancy of and Sarah and mary and mary 

and Emeline were examined by me privately and apart from 

their husbands and they did uterally acknowledged that they 

executed the same freely without any fear or compulsion of their 

said husbands let it be recorded 

                                  Lowrey Barney Commissioner of deeds &c.

Recorded Dec. 17. 1839. at half past 11oClock A.m. 

The source citation for this deed record is:

"Jefferson County, New York, United States records," Deed of heirs of James Bell to Jedediah McCumber, executed 3 December 1839, recorded 17 December 1839; imaged, FamilySearch   (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WL-PKMQ?view=fullText : accessed 5 April 2026), Image Group Number 007176569, "Jefferson Deeds, 1839," pages 534-535, images 613-614 of 652; original records in Jefferson County, New York Court records.

This land deed documents the sale of 65.68 acres of land in Henderson town, Jefferson County, New York (in Lot Number 13) sold by the heirs of James Bell (including Ranslow and Mary Smith) of Henderson to Jedediah McCumber of Henderson for $1,046.86 in lawful money.

Ranslow and Mary (Bell) Smith (1805-1873) are the adoptive parents of my 2nd great-grandfather Devier J. Lamphier Smith (1839-1894) who resided in Henderson, Jefferson County, New York until about 1843 when he migrated to Dodge County, Wisconsin.

I found this record using FamilySearch Full-Text Search searching for Ranslow Smith and Jefferson County, New York.

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Read other transcriptions of records of my relatives and ancestors at Amanuensis Monday Posts.

NOTE: Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday." John offers this definition for "amanuensis:"

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

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